1 Peter 1:6–7 Therefore you have great joy, though for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials, so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Peter reminded me that joy does not exclude sorrow, and faith does not equal success. Feeling fear, exhaustion, or the urge to give up during trials is not failure, but rather faith being tested by fire. Just as gold needs to be heated to reveal its value, faith often reveals its truth when feelings wane. Today I see that perseverance is not about willpower, but about choosing not to leave after falling and continuing to trust in the Lord during trials.
Lord, thank you for allowing trials to come upon me, yet not letting them consume me. When I am in sorrow, frustration, and anxiety, I ask you to guard my heart, to stand firm in promises, not on my feelings. You refine my faith, making it unaffected by circumstances, but purer and more genuine. I await the day of your revelation, may my life glorify you. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.